L’Objet Sonore - Sound Object
Eyedrum, Atlanta, Georgia

The artists of L’Objet Sonore hearken to the principle that vibrations are the primary essence of physical existence, that vibrating particles shape the sensory experience of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. We filter our experience through organs that deal with zones of vibrational activity, the sum of which defines our perception. Strangely, such holism runs contrary to the division of the senses historically practiced in the arts, and today we find many artists and audiences feeling incomplete in such an exclusive and fragmented system. This exhibition includes work by artists who consider it paramount to create vibrations with a synthesis of sight and sound, whose art finds resonance through melding the senses rather than separating them.

The artworld’s historical segregation of the senses has led its traditional venue, the art gallery, to neglect the vibrational origins of both the visual and the aural. The reluctance of artists and galleries to explore the world beyond the visual has led to a typically one-sided artistic experience. L’Objet Sonore, however, is indicative of a steadily growing trend among contemporary artists to overcome the inertia of the historically sight-driven gallery show by expanding their palettes to address the artistic possibilities of aural sensation. Here at Eyedrum Art & Music Gallery, we meet in a venue that, like a handful of others, is rising to the challenge of these artists. Eyedrum’s motto references both the name and the philosophy of the space, as well as the primary thrust of this exhibition: …where the EYEball and the earDRUM meet.

L’Objet Sonore presents a collection of Sound Objects, sculptural and installation work that is defined equally by shape and sound. The diverse aesthetic practices of participating national and international artists invite viewers to reconsider any divisive sensory allegiances that they might once have harbored. A holistic experience of art, L’Objet Sonore proves that this genre of multi-dimensional work can resonate not only within a space like Eyedrum, but within the viewer as well, offering the opportunity for a more complete connection to the artists and their vision.

Adam Overton, curator
2003

 

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